Millennials, a more diverse age group, now outnumber baby boomers

Millennials, Americas born between 1982 and 2000, now number 83.1 million and represent more than one quarter of the nation’s population.

Their size exceeds that of the 75.4 million baby boomers, according to new U.S. Census Bureau estimates released Thursday. Overall, millennials are more diverse than the generations that preceded them, with 44.2 percent being part of a minority race or ethnic group.

Even more diverse than millennials are the youngest Americans: those younger than 5 years old. In 2014, the majority of this age group were minorities for the first time, with 50.2 percent being part of a minority race or ethnic group.

Because of these younger age groups, the population as a whole has become more racially and ethnically diverse in the last decade, with the percentage minority climbing from 32.9 percent in 2004 to 37.9 percent in 2014.

In four states and the District of Columbia, minorities were in the majority: Hawaii, 77 percent; the District of Columbia, 64.2 percent; California, 61.5 percent; New Mexico, 61.1 percent; and Texas, 56.5 percent.

Other highlights from the estimates:

The 65-and-older population

• The nation’s 65-and-older population grew from 44.7 million in 2013 to 46.2 million in 2014. This group, which now contains the oldest four years of the baby boom generation, born between 1946 and 1964, is 21.7 percent minority, less diverse than younger age groups.

• Florida had the highest percentage of its population age 65 and older among states in 2014, 19.1 percent, followed by Maine, 18.3 percent. Alaska had the lowest percentage, 9.4 percent, Utah next at 10 percent.

Some states become younger

• Unlike most states, five experienced a decline in median age between July 1, 2013, and July 1, 2014: North Dakota, Hawaii, Montana, Wyoming, and Iowa.

• Maine experienced the largest increase in median age among states, rising from 43.9 to 44.2.

• There was a greater than 13-year difference between the state with the highest median age, Maine at 44.2, and that with the lowest, Utah at 30.5.

States with more males than females and more females than males

• There were only 10 states where males made up a majority of the population in 2014. Alaska had the highest male percentage, 52.6 percent, followed by North Dakota, 51.3 percent.

• The District of Columbia had the highest percentage of females of any state or equivalent, 52.6 percent, followed by Delaware, 51.6 percent.

Births versus deaths

• All race and ethnic groups except single-race, non-Hispanic whites had more births than deaths between 2013 and 2014. This group had 61,841 more deaths than births.

Hispanics

• The nation’s Hispanic population totaled 55.4 million as of July 1, 2014, up by 1.2 million, or 2.1 percent, since July 1, 2013.

• California had the largest Hispanic population of any state in 2014, 15 million. However, Texas had the largest numeric increase in the Hispanic population since July 1, 2013, 228,000. New Mexico had the highest percentage of Hispanics at 47.7 percent.

Blacks

• The nation’s African-American population totaled 45.7 million as of July 1, 2014, up by 578,000, or 1.3 percent, since July 1, 2013.

• New York had the largest African-American population of any state in 2014, 3.8 million; Texas had the largest increase since July 1, 2013, 88,000. The District of Columbia had the highest percentage of blacks, 50.6 percent, followed by Mississippi, 38.2 percent.

Asians

• The nation’s Asian population totaled 20.3 million as of July 1, 2014, up by 631,000, or 3.2 percent, since July 1, 2013.

• California had both the largest Asian population of any state, 6.3 million, in July 2014 and the largest numeric increase of Asians since July 1, 2013, 162,000. Hawaii was the nation’s only majority-Asian state, with people of this group making up 56.2 percent of the total population.

American Indians and Alaska Natives

• The nation’s American Indian and Alaska Native population totaled 6.5 million as of July 1, 2014, up by 93,000, or 1.4 percent, since July 1, 2013.

• California had the largest American Indian and Alaska Native population of any state in 2014, 1.1 million, and the largest numeric increase since 2013, 13,000. Alaska had the highest percentage, 19.4 percent.

Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders

• The nation’s Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander population totaled 1.5 million as of July 1, 2014, up by 33,000, or 2.3 percent, since July 1, 2013.

• Hawaii had the largest population of Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders of any state, 370,000, in 2014 and the highest percentage, 26 percent. California had the largest numeric increase since 2013, 7,000.

Non-Hispanic white alone

• The nation’s non-Hispanic white alone population totaled 197.9 million in 2014, up by 94,000, or .5 percent, since 2013.

• California had the largest non-Hispanic white alone population of any state in 2014, 14.9 million. Texas had the largest numeric increase in this population group since 2013, 79,000. Maine had the highest percentage of the non-Hispanic white alone population, 93.8 percent.

Copyright 2015, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

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